By Greg Nikkel
Four youths shared their thoughts and experiences from attending the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards camp (RYLA) over the summer, with members of the Weyburn Rotary Club on Thursday evening.
Students Brayden King and Trey Sandiford attended the advanced or senior youth leadership camp, while Rumina Edgerton and Krystalynn Lascelle took in the junior or beginner camp, both held at Clear Lake, Man., in August.
This was Brayden’s third time to attend the camp, and the first time for Trey, and both shared their thoughts and a music video made as part of the camp experience.
Brayden noted that a theme for the RYLA camp was of “making ripples”, as he pointed out one lesson he learned was, “Small things you do can have a big effect on the world.”
The teens were divided into teams, and the teams participated in a series of challenges and activities designed to teach them how to work as a team, and how to draw on the strengths and talents of each team member.
“In the final challenge, we had to carry a canoe for a mile, and it’s really heavy,” said Brayden, noting even in this challenge they had to determine who was in the best position to do the portage.
Trey said his team finished fourth, and after two years of his finishing dead last, Brayden said his team ended in second place this time.
Trey made some really good friends from his camp experience, and said he still keeps in touch with them now, two months after attending the camp.
“It’s amazing how after five days you make such good friendships,” added Brayden, saying leaving their friends at the end was the worst part.
Asked how they were going to apply what they learned at the RYLA camp, Brayden noted he is on the Student Representative Council (SRC) for the Weyburn Comp, and he plans to apply many of the ideas he learned about, including about being better leaders and new fundraising ideas.
Rumina spoke about her first time to take in the camp, noting they had some of the same challenges as the older campers had, including the canoe portage with a very heavy canoe.
One of the most meaningful experiences for her was around the campfire when they talked about important issues, sometimes very personal ones, such as dealing with mental health issues.
“There were 48 of us in the group, and suddenly we were all best friends at the end,” she said. “We had tons of activities. We had to run around the camp and do the challenges.”
One challenge occurred when the campers were roused in the middle of the night, and they had to go around to do the activities in the dark.
The campers also had their own version of “The Amazing Race”, which had the teens focus on team-work.
“The portaging of the canoe was not fun. I think they got the heaviest canoe they could find,” said Rumina, adding that for the talent show at the end, she and her team-mates did a dance which “was ridiculous … but it was fun.”
Overall, she said, “I felt my experience was life-changing. That’s the best word I could use to describe it. I’m so lucky I got to have that experience. Now they’re all my best friends, and having them as a support system is not something that happens to a lot of people.”
For her part, Krystalynn said, “I had a great time at RYLA, and I’m just so thankful as this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I can’t thank Rotary enough to make this experience one I will never forget.”
Asked what they might apply back home in school, Rumina noted she is on the SRC, and “there’s a lot of stuff about fundraising events, and you get to think of some things you could do more. I’m definitely going to try some, and the teamwork aspect within the SRC as well.”
Rotary member Brenda King noted the Weyburn club has invested a lot of money over the years sending young people to the leadership camps, and “we’re rewarded a thousand-fold.”
She added they hope to see what these young people will be doing in 10, 20 or 50 years from now in helping to make the world a better place.
